SAN DIEGO >> Dodgers pitcher Louis Coleman had a birthday ritual that began the day he turned 25.

It entailed being in Omaha, Neb., or driving to Omaha, where he began each of the past five seasons pitching for the Kansas City Royals’ Triple-A affiliate.

“My dream was always to play in Omaha because of the College World Series,” Coleman said Tuesday. “Then you get out of college and your dream is to never play in Omaha again. I did it for six more years.”

Funny thing is, Coleman actually likes Omaha. He grew up in a small town in Mississippi. Tree-lined streets full of ma-and-pa stores are his thing.

The birthday ritual ended Monday. As possible alternatives go, Coleman would be content to turn this into a tradition, too.

Coleman pitched a scoreless eighth inning in the Dodgers’ 15-0 win over the San Diego Padres. It was the first time he’d been on a major league Opening Day roster and the first time in a while he wasn’t in the vicinity of Nebraska on his birthday.

If you want to know how much the occasion meant, just look at the radar gun. Coleman’s fastball touched 91 mph against the Padres. According to Pitch f/x data, it was the fastest he’d thrown a ball in a game since September; that includes four spring training games in which velocity data was available.

“I had a little more adrenaline,” he said.

In a way, the start of this season marks the end of a journey for Coleman. After seven seasons in the Kansas City Royals organization, Coleman was designated for assignment in February. When the Royals failed to come to agreement on a trade, he became a free agent. The Dodgers signed him to a guaranteed major league contract not long after.

For a small-town kid whose career had been spent in a small market, it was an abrupt change. Coleman admits he finds Los Angeles “overwhelming.” He vowed to find a short commute to Dodger Stadium.

“The only (deterrent) was the taxes because that part’s overwhelming to me,” he said. “The taxes and the volume of people.”

In the end, the guaranteed contract gave Coleman confidence the Dodgers believed he could make their Opening Day roster. He was also swayed by the tradition of a franchise that includes Vin Scully, the National League’s second-oldest ballpark and “easily four or five Hall of Famers” on the current roster.

The decision to keep Coleman came down to the final weekend of spring training. Ultimately, left-hander Luis Avilan was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City and Coleman made the roster as one of six right-handed relievers.

Coleman’s numbers in spring training — opponents hit .158 against him and he had 12 strikeouts in 11 innings — made his case for the Opening Day roster a strong one.

But the life of a middle reliever comes with few assurances. At 30, Coleman has accepted this as his reality. Sometimes that means making a roster on the final day of spring training. Sometimes that means driving to Omaha on your birthday and your cell phone dies, so you can’t receive any of the obligatory calls or texts that signify your birthday.

“I’m always going to have to earn a job because I’m a middle reliever,” he said. “You’re going to have to earn a job every year. Not that the closers don’t have to, but they’ve gotten to that point where they’ve earned themselves a job. So why not try to earn a job with the Dodgers?”

Catching timeshare

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said catchers Austin Barnes and A.J. Ellis will continue their 50-50 timeshare until Yasmani Grandal returns from the disabled list. That means Ellis will catch Kenta Maeda on Wednesday in the series finale at Petco Park.

Barnes is 26 and just made his first Opening Day roster. Ellis is 34 and has experience in parts of nine major league seasons.

“I love the way that (Ellis) can mentor Austin,” Roberts said. “Those two guys; it’s a nice combination.”

Injury updates

Howie Kendrick (strained left calf) and Yasmani Grandal (sore right forearm) are slated to participate in a simulated game Wednesday, Roberts said.

Kendrick hasn’t begun playing in the field. When he returns, Roberts said Kendrick will see time at third base and second base.

Outfielder Rico Noel, who was re-assigned to the Dodgers’ minor league camp on the final weekend of spring training, isn’t on the preliminary roster at Triple-A Oklahoma City because he is battling a mild oblique strain.

Also

Chase Utley started and led off the Dodgers’ first two games of the season, but Roberts said the 37-year-old second baseman won’t play all 162. How many? “One thirty, that seems more of where Chase would be,” Roberts said. “Somewhere around there.” … Zach Lee will start on Opening Day for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday. … Veteran right-hander Dale Thayer, whom the Dodgers recently signed to a minor-league contract, will begin the season on the roster of Double-A Tulsa.

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